There have been a lot of comments about how the population growth of our state has affected us. Utah has always been listed as a desert state. With the increased population — a high proportion of which have come here because our legislature has been giving financial incentives to bring new businesses into the state — our concern is now water.
Yes, our legislators have succeeded in creating the best economy in the nation. But because so many new businesses have located here, even our developers have been challenged to keep up with the housing needs. And our desert state’s limited water supply is threatened by high tech companies and new apartment complexes.
When I moved to Utah many years ago, there was enough water and land in some places for people to own large yards with grass and gardens. Now there is a movement to not just require property owners to better use their water rights, but to give up some of their water rights. Why should a land owner have to give up water rights just because too many people have been lured into our state?
We do need developers, but there comes a point when some of them are more concerned about making personal financial gain than they are about the quality of life and basic life expectations of the people who came here at an earlier time.
I am an old person. But most of my children live in the valley. I don’t feel good about how hard it will be for my grandchildren to find affordable/livable homes.
Fred Ash
Sandy